Ella POVAlexander gave me the rest of the day to rest, sleep, eat, and build up my strength. By the following morning, I was anxious and ready to jump back into reality. We were in the middle of a serious situation, and I had taken an entire day just to nap.I felt ridiculous.Although Alexander in
“I appreciate that you want to protect me,” I said, the tension in my voice evident, “but we’re past that.”Alexander stared at me, then reached out and took my hand. The contact sent a jolt of electricity through me, and I allowed him to lead me forward. He approached the door of the warehouse, tap
Ella POVAlexander and I entered the room slowly. It was a small room witha single table and several chairs around it. It looked like it was probably a break room for the employees of the warehouse at some point.I could see the discoloration on the wall where a refrigerator had once been and there
I was too. It was true, that most would think her story was impossible, but given what I knew about David, I wouldn’t put anything past him. It seemed obvious to me that he was capable of betraying the kingdom.He only ever cared about himself, after all.“Their plan was to help David win the electi
Ella POVThe car was completely silent as Alexander, Dr. McIntyre, and I made the short drive to the king’s home.It was beyond awkward. I wished more than anything that I didn’t have to be involved in this, but I knew that I couldn’t back out now. I needed to know that this was really coming to a c
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” the king murmured. His gaze shifted to Alexander. “And do you believe her?”“I do,” Alexander agreed without hesitation. “Combined with the information our investigations have uncovered, it’s impossible to explain it all away.”The king nodded once. Then, rising
Ella POVAlexander looked at me expectantly, his question hanging heavily in the air between us. Panic raced through me as I tried to think of a way to respond that would defuse the situation, but nothing came to me.I laughed uneasily. “I’m supposed to be the one asking the questions,” I said. “Bef
The whole purpose of my second chance was to stop David from taking over, to prevent the pain and destruction he would bring. And I had done that.If the cost of that victory was my freedom, I could accept it.And, if by some miracle he believed me, then Alexander would know he had my full trust. I
Ella POVThe night we had been working towards for so long was finally here. It didn’t seem real, but it was finally happening.It was election night.All day Alexander and I had been answering questions from reporters and making phonecalls to voters, hoping to get as many people as possible to show
He glanced at me, a knowing look passing between us. We would face whatever came next together.After dinner, Sabrina and Alexander took Lexie up to get ready for bed. She wanted a bedtime story from Alexander and he seemed happy to do it.Once we were alone in the living room, my mother pulled me t
Ella POVAlexander and I spent the day in my family’s packlands with Lexie, a rare moment of peace before the election.The official statement revealing Lexie’s identity had been carefully crafted—Alexander had asked for privacy for her sake.The response had been mixed, but most people saw it as a
“It does,” Elizabeth said. “But people also fear what they don’t understand. Alexander has spent years in the shadows. Half of what he’s done is still a secret. People don’t know that he’s…” she hesitated, looking away for a moment. “Now, they’re being asked to trust him with the kingdom.” She sighe
Ella POVI sat across from Elizabeth at a quiet restaurant, a half-empty glass of wine in front of me. The air between us was lighter than it had been in months, but there was still an unspoken tension—a lingering wound that was still healing.Elizabeth had taken the revelations about Alexander, Dav
Ella POVThe news of Ironfang’s arrest tore through the kingdom like wildfire. Fear gripped the people as they learned the horrifying truth—powerful figures within their own government had been working with the North.For years, the enemy had been closer than anyone had realized, pulling strings in
Alexander POVI stood before the King, my body still weak from the poison, but my mind sharp and steady. Ella stood at my side, her presence grounding me, a silent promise that we would face whatever came next together.I could feel the weight of her gaze on me, the quiet strength she offered just b
Ella POVIt took several days before Alexander could stay awake for more than a few minutes at a time.Those days felt like an eternity to me, sitting at his bedside, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest, hoping for any sign of improvement. The doctors assured me that the worst had passed, b
The King’s orders were not something you ignored. And though I had no desire to leave Alexander’s side, I couldn’t risk further angering the King—especially when I had no idea what he would do with the information I had.Still, my resolve weakened as she glanced at Alexander one last time. “He’ll be